Stolen Revenge
by Rainey Lennyn
Summary: This occurs during the current timeline on the show. Faith has reached her limit when Jason and Nikolas ruin her shipment. It's time to strike and aim for the heart. Zander is ordered to kidnap Courtney. More chapters to come! Please R&R!
1. Default Chapter

Faith Rosco blew onto the pier like a raging storm, her hair flying behind her, her eyes snapping fiercely. She stalked towards Zander Smith on her viciously high heels, her fists clenched at her sides. She stopped in front of him, mouth set in thin line, toe tapping angrily. Zander hazarded a smart remark.

"A little steamed, are ya, boss?"

"Oh, don't start with me, Zander," she warned. "I have had it up to here with that thug Jason Morgan and your arch-enemy, the prince. Both of them have treaded a fine line, keeping me from destroying them. Well, guess what?! They crossed it! We're not gonna play games anymore, my little manservant. This time we're striking where it counts."

"Faith, what are you talking about?" he asked somberly, worried by the maniacal expression on her face. "What are you asking me to do?"

Faith smiled the calm, irrational smile she always gave.

"Well, you see Sonny Corinthos is up to his ears in trouble right now. He's out of the picture. And Jason has gotten a little too big for his mob britches. He and Nikolas, the playboy prince, think they can take me down. This blown shipment was the last straw. Now it's personal."

Zander sighed, rubbing his chin, thinking of other times when it got personal for Faith-like all the attempts to murder Elizabeth Webber. He was afraid to ask but did anyway.

"Alright, spit it out without the grandiose threats. What do you want me to do?"

"Well, I've heard from a reliable source that Jason's Rambo Barbie wife has left him. She's got herself a little apartment already. Now I'm willing to bet that grunt still loves Sonny's baby sister. She's our target."

Inwardly Zander winced, although you could never tell through his stoic face. He happened to like Courtney. He had been one of the first people she had met upon traveling to Port Charles. She was spunky, strong-willed and had a smile like sunshine. Before all the mess with Emily's return, he had even entertained the idea of asking her out on a date.

"Zander, sweetie?" Faith sidled up to him with a poison grin. "Is something wrong?"

He frowned and shook his head. He well understood Courtney was, both by blood and by marriage, the enemy now. And Faith had a point. This would be the weak spot for Morgan and Corinthos. He kissed Faith nonchalantly on the nose.

"Nope, not a problem. Just tell me what you want done and I'll carry it out."

Faith squeezed his cheek proudly.

"Oh, you're such a good, little grunt. Now listen closely. You'll take her tonight at…"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Courtney walked as if in a dream from Kelly's late that night, her coffee warm in her gloved hands. She didn't feel the warmth though; her whole body was cold all over. Trying to think straight, she found her thoughts only went to her recently naked ring finger and…Jason. The icy pain she felt on this frigid December night was almost unbearable. She didn't know why exactly she had left the apartment. She just couldn't stay in that empty place any longer.

She slowed her pace along the sidewalk as snowflakes began to fall like diamonds from the sky, glittering all around her. Her loneliness was tangible but as fragile as one of the snowflakes. Tears filled her eyes for the hundredth time, stinging her cheeks as they fell. She wanted Jason so badly and her neck craned to look down the other end of the street. She knew by heart that it led to the Towers where she and her husband shared their beautiful penthouse. Memories tumbled inside her head and she tucked her chin against her chest with the weight. 

Everything was different now. There was no happy family to go home to. Carly, her best friend, had no feelings for anyone, Sonny was facing insurmountable odds with his many crimes, and the boys were away on the island. Nothing was right anymore. She bit her lip until she nearly cried out with the pain. She couldn't think of the past anymore.

Suddenly, before she could form a single thought, someone grabbed her from behind. An arm hard and powerful wrapped around her neck and a hand clamped over her mouth. She fought back, kicking and screeching muffled. Her and her assailant began to stumble backwards as she desperately tried to get away. A sharp pain pierced her arm, right into the flesh. The world grew hazy and finally disappeared altogether.

Zander dragged her into the alley, leaning down with her dead weight. When she was out of sight, he cautiously stashed the syringe into the nearby dumpster. He waited, blowing hot air into his freezing hands while Courtney slept at his feet. Finally Faith arrived. She entered the alley like it was a posh nightclub and then with equal grace, drove her stiletto into Courtney's stomach. Zander turned his head away in disgust and even in her drug-induced dreams, Courtney doubled in pain.

"Good work, Zander, baby," Faith smiled sharp-edgedly. "You know what to do next. Take her away and keep her there. Watch her carefully too. If she can escape Alcazar by jumping into a freezing ocean, she can get away from a farmhouse in Vermont."

Zander hoisted the girl over his shoulder with a groan. He nodded towards the top of the building.

"Is the copter ready?"

Faith nodded, rubbing her hands together in glee. As she watched Zander lumber up the fire escape aided by two of her men, she could just imagine the horror. Big, strapping Jason, handling the business all by himself, wasn't boss material, and under the duress of his marriage dissolving, the little wife is kidnapped. And who could forget about Sonny? His sanity already hanging by a thread, he might lose when he finds out baby sister is gone. It was all coming together so nicely.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the little apartment complex, Officer Brian Beck shuffled back and forth in the hallway, waiting for Courtney to come home. He couldn't understand where she could be. He had watched her head towards Kelly's and figured she just needed time alone. But that had been three hours ago. Gazing out the nearest window, he searched the dark streets for her beacon of blond hair, but there was no sign of her. There was a horrible twisted feeling in the pit of his stomach, something foreboding, something he hadn't felt since the death of his wife and son. 

He balled his fists and aimed at the wall in his frustration. He shouldn't be so infatuated with Courtney Morgan-he knew that all too well. Her kind had destroyed his family and her kind happened to be the biggest crime lords in the state of New York. It was all wrong, but somehow when he saw her smile or flip her hair over her shoulder; he felt a twinge inside him that felt so right. Even when she was glaring him down or practically yelling at him, he just wanted to wrap her in his arms. He shook his head and thought contemplatively. 

__

She's not like them, I know that. She's not violent or cruel or power-hungry. She's just a little, lost girl caught up in their drama. She deserves something real, something true, something…like me.

His thoughts were interrupted when he saw movement down the street. Ducking down he peered his head just enough over the window sill. The shadowy figure dressed in black stopped mysteriously in front of the window showing Courtney's apartment. Brian squinted hard, trying to decipher who the strange was. A passing car's lights washed over and it was just enough for Brian to catch a glimpse. His heart stopped cold as he watched Jason Morgan slip away back into the night. 

Now he was sure of it. Something wasn't right and he'd bet his life that Jason had something to do with it. Patting his holster for assurance, he headed down the stairs, determined to follow Morgan and discover where Courtney had disappeared to.


	2. Chapter 2

Jason Morgan knew he shouldn't be keeping a casual watch on Courtney's new apartment-if his wife found out she'd be furious. Something kept him coming back though; a gut-wrenching feeling every time he glanced into those dimly lit windows. He couldn't understand how she could walk away from him like that. She had known exactly who she marrying and what she was marrying into. Try as he might, Jason could not bring himself to be angry at her. He just wanted her back.

Somewhere deep inside, in a corner of his heart that hadn't been injured by the accident, he wanted to beg her to come back, wanted to wrap his arms around her and tell her she couldn't leave him. Of course, that little part of him could never break through though; it couldn't get past the stoic face and the call of duty. As he walked quickly along the sidewalk to Kelly's, he realized he had never thought about having to choose between Sonny and Sonny's sister. They had fought so hard to be together in the first place and now the business was their obstacle again. 

Striding into the café through the jingling door, he spotted Elizabeth Webber and flagged her down. She smiled at him both warmly and a little warily. She knew very well that Jason never visited for chitchat.

"Hey, Jase, can I get you some coffee? It's pretty chilly out there. I've got a fresh pot of black-just the way you like it."

"No thanks, Emily," he replied and leaned his head down to ask quietly. "Have you seen Courtney?"

Elizabeth's blue eyes narrowed in thought and she shook her head slowly.

"Well she came in a while ago to grab some coffee but that was maybe three hours ago. Why? Is something wrong?"

"No, no, just if you see her, tell her I'm looking for her."

Jason's curt answer matched with his darkened expression did nothing to convince Elizabeth however. As she sidled back to a curious looking Ric Lansing, he asked nonchalantly,

"What was that about?"

"You know I really don't know. Jason can't find Courtney, I guess."

Ric said nothing else about the subject but the gears in his mind were working overtime. He found that in this already tumultuous time for the Corinthos/Morgan family, it was incredibly eyebrow-raising that Courtney had disappeared. It was becoming well-known gossip that she had left her penthouse to stay in the apartment complex shared by a few PCPD officers. Snapping open his cell phone, he dialed his boss' number.

"Hey, Scott, I think I've learned something interesting…"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Faith Rosco sat in her club, lazily swirling the olives in her empty martini glass, waiting for Zander's call. She was pleased her little boy toy had finally followed orders. Sometimes he was just too disobedient for her liking. He was willful and had these absurd affections for some people. He also had an untapped reservoir of anger and self-destruction; making him an invaluable resource. Plus, he was a hunky piece of man-meat she didn't mind having at her disposal. 

Her little plan to snatch Courtney was going to be brilliant. And now if she played her cards right with the handsome new police officer, the finger would land on the necessary target. When her guard showed the tall, dark man in uniform in, the act began.

"Officer Beck, so glad you could come on such short notice."

She held out a manicured hand armed with a bewitching smile. Brian ignored it and urged her on.

"You said you had some valuable information. What is it?"

"Well, I'm sure you know that there's some bad blood between me and Jason Morgan. He's been bumbling around my assets for a while now and I've looked for any opportunity to crush him. That being said, my information has nothing to do with my vendetta against him. See, his wife-"

"Courtney?!" he interrupted much too quickly and eagerly. "This has to do with Courtney?" he cleared his throat, lowering his voice.

"Ah, I see you already know her. Poor, little thing caught up in a business much too big for her innocent britches. She got sick of the code and the way of life, you see. She was shacking up in an apartment complex where the enemy, law enforcement, lives. This is a big no-no in mob families and I have my sources that tell me she's disappeared. Are you getting the picture, Officer?"

Brian's head whirled. Trying to clear his eyesight of the color red, he swallowed hard. He knew his suspicions had been correct.

"Are you saying that Jason's involved in Courtney's disappearance?"

Faith leaned back in her chair and shook herself another martini. She shrugged lackadaisically and replied simply,

"I'm just advising you to keep your eye on him. If there's one thing Sonny has taught Jason, it's how to deal with women who betray him."

Brian's mouth was incurably dry and he tried to answer the deadly woman before him, but found he couldn't. Turning on his heels he trotted off at an increasing speed, determined to find Jason and find out what he bastard had done to his wife.

Meanwhile, Faith picked up her ringing phone with a triumphant grin. She listened intently and her face grew even brighter with glee.

"You've reached the farmhouse. Good. Keep her sedated until I have confirmation her hubby is fingered for this. Oh, yes, Zander darling, this is turning out quite well. Officer Beck is so infatuated with the Barbie doll; he didn't even need convincing."

She hung up without another word, confident that Zander could hold the fort in Vermont. He had never mentioned any soft spot for Courtney and so she wasn't concerned his affections would get in the way. The only thing left for her to do was to sit back and watch Jason Morgan's downfall.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jason barged up the apartment building's stairs, his long legs carrying him quickly to Courtney's door. He pounded on it, desperately hoping to hear her annoyed response. None came.

"Courtney? Courtney, come on! If you're in there, open up! It's an emergency, Courtney!"

Still there was nothing but silence from the other side of the door. Growling low in his throat, he took a few steps back and charged at the door, plowing his shoulder through. The frame snapped under the force, allowing him to hurtle into the room. Frantically he glanced around and even though he had expected it, his heart sank at the empty surroundings. He began to search the room now as quietly as possible, tearing through drawers and shuffling items on her nightstand. There had to be some clue of where she had gone. Elizabeth had said she had left Kelly's at least three hours ago; where else could she have gone after that?

Suddenly the sound of movement in the hallway distracted him. Straightening his stance, his hand automatically going to the gun tucked in the waistband of his jeans, he called out.

"Who's there?"

Brian Beck, backed by two other officers, came in, firearms drawn and pointed directly at Jason. Jason groaned and snapped,

"Beck, what the hell is this about?"

"I'm not sure, Jason. Why don't you tell me?" Brian asked icily. "What did you do with Courtney?"

"Courtney? What are you-" Jason stopped and his eyes glinted hard like granite. "I'm not saying anything else without my lawyer present. I don't know what your game plan is, Beck, but it's not gonna work. Now until you've got charges that are enough to bring me in, I've gotta go find my wife."

"Ah but you see, Mr. Morgan, we do have enough to haul your sorry butt in for questioning. You're under suspicion for kidnapping. So come on, let's take you back on home."

Brian waved the pair of handcuffs threateningly while the other officers kept their weapons trained on Jason. Jason, burned with rage, but was unable to see a way out besides a bloodbath. Somberly he turned around, wincing as Brian wrenched his wrists together. Courtney was missing… The truth rang with startling clarity inside his head. Suddenly a face appeared in his mind's eye and he knew exactly who had orchestrated this whole scheme. After Jason had finagled his way out of these charges, he would find his wife and then Faith Rosco would pay dearly and drastically.


End file.
